In his research, Paul Lewis is interested in the determinants and effects of public policies, and in the way people think about policy. Much of his published work has examined urban development, community change, and local policies toward immigrants. He is coauthor of a recent book, "Policing Immigrants: Local Law Enforcement on the Front Lines" (Univ. of Chicago Press, 2016), in collaboration with colleagues from law, criminology, and geography.  Previously, he wrote "Shaping Suburbia: How Political Institutions Organize Urban Development" (Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1996; named an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice), and coauthored "Custodians of Place: Governing the Growth and Development of Cities" (Georgetown Univ. Press, 2009). His research has appeared in Economic Development Quarterly, Housing Policy Debate, Journal of the American Planning Association, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Journal of Urban Affairs, Law & Policy, Political Behavior, Political Research Quarterly, Polity, State and Local Government Review, and Urban Affairs Review, and in several edited volumes and policy reports.

Lewis's research has received funding support from the National Science Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. Prior to joining ASU, he was one of the original group of research fellows at the Public Policy Institute of California, where he worked for nine years. He has served on editorial boards for Urban Affairs Review, Journal of Urban Affairs, and State and Local Government Review.